Thanatophobia
by Echofalls
Summary: Minato Arisato had a trainwreck of a life since he was young, he thought things would improve when he met a new transfer student. For a while, they did... But...     Persona 3 spoilers. Minato x Ryoji
1. Chapter 1

_Persona: Thanatophobia_

_Thanatophobia, more commonly known as the fear of death._

_**Morpheus: The Greek God of Dreams, son of Hypnos and nephew to Thanatos. He appears as people in dreams, and could take the form of anyone he wished, but he has wings in his true form. **___

He turned in the throes of a nightmare. Horrific images of Nyx flooded his mind and filled his heart with deep anguish.  
>How could he bare it?<p>

_Thanatos did not like to see people suffer..._

Minato Arisato sat up with a start, eyes wide and his body drenched in a cold sweat. With trembling hands, he reached for the clock on the bedside table; 1:10 Am.  
>He had slept through the Dark Hour? Why had the rest of S.E.E.S. not woken him and let him fight?<br>No... No, they had told him why- well, whispered behind his back really, they thought he could not hear them; Ryoji, _Death..._  
>Minato slumped back into bed, staring up at the ceiling. His eyes wandered the room, landing on an empty patch of air. That was where... He had shown Minato the truth of himself... And where he was willing to sacrifice himself for a reprieve of peace.<br>He shut his eyes as tears began to prick in the corner of his eyes. He turned to face the wall with a sad, aching heart.

He knew. He knew that S.E.E.S. would... That they would have to inevitably face...  
>No matter how often Minato told himself otherwise, he knew that he would never see that scarfed student again, the one who flirted with girls and boys alike, he would never see Ryoji again. Another sad twinge from his heart and Minato could hold back the tears no longer. They streamed down his face, salty and warm, soaking into his pillow.<p>

'Why are you crying Minato? _Don't cry...'_  
>Teary eyes opened slowly, through blurry vision he could make out the form of a figure sitting on the edge of his bed.<p>

What... What dream was this? What gesture was this from Morpheus?  
>'Ryoji?' His voice was a whisper of disbelief. Minato reached out a hand slowly. He could only focus clearly when a hand seized his own, warmth spread through his body like a sudden electric shock.<br>'Hi...' Death incarnate gave him a sad smile.

Minato sat up slowly.  
>'Please...' he whispered. 'I don't want this to be a dream...'<br>'I am real...' He leant in and move Minato's hand to touch the side of his face. 'See? I'm warm.'  
>The Persona user sprung from beneath the bedsheets and hugged Ryoji sharply. He was going to hold him tightly and never let go. Nyx couldn't come, Ryoji didn't have to leave, no, time had no bearing while they were together... The Dark Hour could come and go, Death could change forms, but he wouldn't let go.<p>

It felt like hours that they simply hugged, enjoying each other's presence. This was simply a continuation of their relationship.  
>'I left only a few hours ago, and already you're in tears?'<br>'I-I...' Minato sniffed loudly. 'I don't want you to go...'  
>'We had good times, but I can't stay. I <em>can't<em>. If I had a choice, I would-'

He was silenced by Minato's lips on his own. This act surprised Ryoji at first, but he soon reprocriated the other's advances.  
>It was what Minato would miss most...<p>

Junpei had caught them in the school storage cupboard, he had to be bribed large amounts of Yen not to stick the photos on the school notice board... 

Igor had caught them making out in the Velvet Room and he threatened to report them to a "_Higher Authourity"_. They left the room in a hurry, Minato did not miss Elizabeth's embarassed blush. Had she been watching them?  
>A butterfly always followed Minato after that... He felt it watching him.<br>It was perched on the bedpost as they kissed, watching them-  
>'<em>Philemon!'<em>  
>The butterfly nearly fell off it's perch. A shadow coalesced into being in the darkness.<br>'_You're watching this without me?'_ Nyarlathotep sounded hurt.  
>Minato let out a desperate moan.<br>'_Meh, we'll watch together...'_

'Mm- No! Not here!' the cobalt haired teen dragged Death to his feet. 'Springs are too loud... Thirsty... Water!'  
>He moved down into the kitchen, mind fuzzy from the kiss, but one thought was sure; he was not let letting Ryoji go. <em>Never.<em>  
>'Water... Water...'<br>A tinkle of glass and the creak of a tap. Minato was silent as he gulped down water.

'No... No more water...'  
>He pulled Ryoji over to the sofa.<br>Minato managed to catch that wonderful scarf before it hit the floor. He placed it gently on the table and returned his attention to Death Incarnate.

'Why did you never flirt with me?' he whined.  
>'I... Didn't want to hurt you when I had to go...' Ryoji hung his head sadly. 'Clearly, I failed. The human heart is tricky and complex...'<br>A loud snicker could be heard. '_He doesn't want to get involved, but he is still sleeping with him? That's a contradiction- OW!'_  
><em>'Quiet!'<em> The butterfly ordered.

'Did you hear something?' Ryoji wondered, looking around.  
>Minato was oblivious to everything but the figure before him. <p>

'I love you, Minato...'  
>'I love you too,... <em>Thanatos...'<em>  
><em>'I think I'm gonna be sick... Enough with the mushy love stuff! Get to the steamy sex already!'<em>  
>'<em>Be quiet! It's getting good!'<em>  
>A snap of suspenders as they were pulled from his shoulders.<br>'No...' Minato stopped as Ryoji began to tug at his shirt. 'Not here.'  
>'Ugh... <em>Where<em> then? On the floor?'  
>This sudden spark of annoyance was unnerving, but, Minato realised, the full moon had a habit of making supernatural beings extremely... <em>Excited<em>. Ryoji was no exception.  
>'No... Bed.'<br>'You said the springs were too noisy...' Ryoji countered.  
>'If this is to be our last time together, I don't care!'<br>They vanished up the stairs.  
>The butterfly flapped it's wings uneasily. '<em>Up, down, up, down... It's like a yo-yo in a lift...'<em>  
>Nyarlathotep snorted loudly, looking over to him. '<em>What would a yo-yo be doing in a lift?'<em>  
><em>'Well, it couldn't take the stairs, could it?'<em>

Clothes lay scattered among the floor, two figures snuggled tightly together beneath the sheets, Minato moaned as Royji held him in his arms, rocking both of them as he rubbed against him. It drove the cobalt haired teen wild with longing.  
>'P-please... Just...' he couldn't get the words out.<p>

Minato tried to keep himself quiet as ecstatic pleasure wracked through his body, but he could not stop and occasional squeak. Ryoji could not really let himself go, he could only move softly with the cobalt haired teen in his lap, trying not to set off the bedsprings. Goodness knew what the rest of S.E.E.S. would think if they burst in, thinking him awake and eager to tell him of the events of the Dark Hour. Minato could guess; they would wonder why _**Death**_ was in his room, fucking him senseless. That would be tough to explain.  
>His eyes rolled back in their sockets as another wave of pleasure shot through him, he fell back to the form behind him.<br>Ryoji was unprepared for this and put a hand behind him to steady them both. Unfortunately, this shift in weight-  
><em>Creeeaaak!<em>  
>They froze, listening for any signs of incoming trouble. If one of them came in now...<p>

They appeared to have escaped them...  
>Minato could only grin. 'Luck escape, huh?' he breathed.<p>

Ryoji sighed again, but this one was not a sad sigh, this one was a sigh of relief.  
>Nyarlathotep looked to his counterpart with a heated gaze, licking his lips.<br>'_Phil-e-mon... You will wear a tight suit.'_  
>'<em>Mmm? Nyarly... I want you to be bad... You can do that, right?'<em>  
>The full moon had them excited too.<p>

The sleepy, quiet bluenette found Death's lips once again. He could recall earlier, when Ryoji had shown him his true self.

_"I will bring death to this world until I am finally satiated! I want you to think about this carefully-"_

_He could speak no further as Minato climbed up to wrap his arms around Death's neck, crying into the bony shoulder. He sheated the sword, crouched down and rested Minato on his lap, hugging him tightly._

Junpei woke suddenly, hearing the loud creaks of a bad matress. He snickered.  
>'Alright then, I knew you two couldn't stay away...'<br>He blotted out the noise and returned to sleep.

Exhausted, Minato slipped into dreams, hugging the other tightly.  
>'Er... The uh... Velvet Room is closed.' Igor gulped, looking over his shoulder occasionally.<br>'Closed? Why?'  
>'Maintanence... Reasons... Full moon... Thank you.' Igor managed, one eye twitching.<br>Minato wandered off into his dreams.  
>'Elizabeth stop looking at them! Oh God, it's horrible! Why did they decide to come here? Elizabeth stop looking, you're encouraging him!'<br>Igor shook his head sharply. This _always_ happened on a full moon...

The winter chill continued, another bout of snowfall and chilling winds.  
>Minato felt the majority of S.E.E.S. smirking behind his back. He pulled his earphones on and cranked up the music as he his cheeks burned crimson with embarassment. <p>


	2. Chapter 2

Shopping.  
>Grocery shopping was good. Pulling on a light blue hoodie, he muttered a few words to his friends before leaving. The frigid wind bit into his still flushed cheeks and made him shudder. He had not gone far down the street before he felt people fall into step behind him, shuffing on the snowy ground. Minato took diverse routes through alleyways, trying to lose them. But they too knew these streets and they had cornered him in a moment of weakness.<br>Twitchy figures, drug users on a downward spiral.

'G-give us the m-money... T-that's all we w-w-want!'  
>Fists clothed in sleeves, a flash of a knife clenched within. He had no Evoker with him...<p>

'_Hey!'_  
>A stray black feather blew on the winter breeze, a silhouette illuminated nearby.<br>The drug users fled, terrified by a haunting fear that filled their hearts. Minato gave a sharp sigh of relief, his breath steaming up. He did not notice the footsteps as his saviour came closer.  
>'I can't believe some people...'<br>Dressed in a white cream hoodie and his usual scarf...  
>Well, people had said things that Personas would come to their user's need when their life was in danger...<br>Minato quiet agreed that this took the biscuit.

'You left pretty quickly last night...'  
>'I did...' Death admitted. 'Sure, we had a good time, but-'<br>'Let me guess; _You couldn't stay?'_  
>'No...'<br>Minato had been expecting that. 'I just wanted you to still be there when I woke up.'  
>In truth, after gathering his clothes and getting dressed, Ryoji <em>had<em> stayed for a while, he had stood and watched Minato sleep. Black wings sprouting from his back, he leapt out of the window and flew off. He had stayed as long as he could.

'You look cold... Let's get something to drink.'

Hot chocolate with mini marshmellows. MInato sipped his down as best he could without burning his tongue, letting it warm his body. Then the bluenette notcied Ryoji staring sadly down into his own mug. 'What's wrong?'  
>'Time ticks on mercilessly..' he stated. 'Every second that passes brings Nyx closer...'<br>_Mood Killer. _  
>'Hey, Ryoji...?'<br>Cerulean eyes looked to him.

'Forget about the future, focus on now. Us.'  
>'Us...' he considered it. 'Such a sweet dream... But every dream must end...'<br>Minato shook his head. 'I... I don't want it to end...'

Their drinks were drunk and soon they left to face the chilling weather outside. Minato found Ryoji's presence reassuring, like having some sort of... _depressed_ guardian angel. He just wanted to smile, Ryoji had such a wonderful smile.

'You humans, you spend your whole life waiting for a single moment and then... One day, it's tomorrow, and the moment's gone.' The scarfed figure mused as they walked back.

'Come in. Come in with me.'  
>'I can't...'<br>'Can't, or_ won't?_' Minato demanded, Ryoji's negativity grating on him.  
>'I... Can't face them, it's the guilt... I...'<p>

The two shared a gentle goodbye kiss.

'But sooner or later, Ryoji, everyone has to face their shadows.'  
>Minato left him standing in the gentle snowfall.<p>

'I.. Was going to be with you... Forever...'

'I don't care about The Fall, Philemon, I have my own agenda.'  
>'<em>Would your agenda involve those two? What are you planning...?'<em> Philemon sounded suspicious.  
>'My own amusement.' Nyarlathotep replied with a smirk. 'I want to be there when their little troop reaches the top of Tartarus, and Minato Arisato's heart takes an emotional blow so hard that it shatters into shards! <em>I want to feel the despair that fills his heart as the light leaves his eyes! The final call to Nyx!'<em>  
>His laughter bounched around the ethereal gazebo. The masked man turned away, disgusted.<br>If humans had the power to call Nyx, then it had the power to destroy her. It was just a matter of finding a light so bright that no dark despair could eclipse it.  
>He slapped Nyarlathotep's hand away as he reached for the butterfly mask.<br>'I thought you didn't interfere?' The Crawling Chaos demanded.  
>'This is not interference, this is <em>pest control.'<em> he replied.

"_Sooner or later, Ryoji, everyone has to face their shadows."_

Minato's words echoed in his head as he sat on the roof of the snow covered school. He bowed his head, thinking back on everything that had happened.  
>Minato... He would never make it to his graduation, he would never live to see his eighteenth birthday.<br>'... And it's all my fault...' he sobbed softly. 'Hm?'  
>His attention wandered to the blue butterfly as it flew around his head.<br>'Aren't you cold, little guy?' Ryoji asked. 'Did you come here to think too?'  
>Since when did butterflies come out in the winter, anyway?<br>The door to the roof opened and a flustered janitor stepped out.  
>'<em>I feel like such a tramp...'<em> He muttered to himself before looking to Ryoji. 'Hm? What are you doing out here? Surely in weather like this you should be wrapped up warm at home, _or with friends_?'  
>'I... Can't see my friends.' Ryoji admitted.<br>'Now, surely there must be someone out there who cares for you? Someone you want to see again?' the janitor folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. 'Hmm? Pretty girl, or _boy_?'

'...'  
>'Look, if you love someone, then you should be with them.' the eldery man cast his arms out, letting the snow fall onto his jacket. '<em>Life is short!'<em>  
>Ryoji shut his eyes, considering.<p>

He didn't see the janitor smirk. _Just one more push... _  
>'I'm sure they miss you just as badly...'<p>

Ryoji had gone.  
>'Welllllll...' The janitor collapsed onto the bench, golden eyes finding the butterfly. 'I should really get an award for my acting. Go on, my little time bombs, <em>tick away...<em>'

Philemon had nothing to say. He could only silently pray.

_Minato did not take kindly to being hoisted off the floor by his ankle. 'Put me down, idiot!'_  
><em>Ryoji's laughter carried across the warm summer air, holding the fishing rod tightly. 'Would you look at that! I caught something!'<em>

_'I'm a person! Not a fish!'  
>He hit the wooden deck of the port with a crash, landing in a heap.<br>Ryoji laughed louder still.  
>Minato sat up with a huff, struggling to get his hair out of his eyes. 'You idiot...'<br>'Aha... OK, I'll make it up to you. Drinks on me.'_  
><em>'Fine...'<em> _the bluenette admitted. He noticed Ryoji draped an arm over his shoulder in a friendly way. 'So... Aigis... What's her deal?' _

Minato awoke to rest on a tear stained pillow.  
>'Minato...?' Yukari stood in the doorway, looking into the room. 'Have you been crying again?'<p>

He quickly wiped his eyes, turning away. He just wanted to sleep, be ready for Nyx...

_Together, they raided the fridge and grabbed as many ingredients as they could. _

_'Hey, I don't think a skinny guy like you could eat that much...'  
>Both stared in wonderment at the towering sandwhiches they had built.<br>'It's worth a try.' Minato gave a large smile, trying to figure out where on earth to start._

_Ryoji gave a small laugh seeing Minato reaching for the top of the sandwhich. 'Ok, we know it's too tall when you have to stand on a stool to reach it.'_

Minato gave a small laugh in his sleep.

_'Guh... So much food. So full...'_

_They sat on the sofa, rubbing their bloated stomachs. Koromaru whined sharply as he wandered into the lounge, Yukari had dressed him in a maid outfit, and the dustpan and brush in his mouth did little to disprove that image. He placed the cleaning instruments at Minato's feet and looked up at him with another whine.  
>'What? You want us to pick up the crumbs?' Minato wondered.<br>Ryoji sat up as he belched loudly. Immediatly his cheeks flushed red. 'Pardon...'_  
><em>Minato laughed for a while afterwards.<br>_

The S.E.E.S. members had gathered around the doorway to Minato's bedroom, glancing at the clock occasionally and unsure wether or not to wake him. The Dark Hour would be upon them soon. 'What do you think his dreaming about?' Yukari wondered.  
>Junpei could only snort loudly. 'Who do you think?'<br>The cobalt haired teen gave another sleepy smile.

_Alone. The two leant in for a kiss, a kiss that was cut short by a curious whine from Koromaru. _

_'Shoo! You're ruining the moment!' Ryoji ordered, waving the dog away. Koromaru backed from the room and Minato was quick to push the door shut.  
>'Where were we?' he wondered, sitting himself back down next to the scarfed teen.<br>'I remember...' the two leant closer again. _

_"Ding-dong". _

_Ryoji drew back. 'Was that the doorbell, or did you just have a really good idea?'_

Another sweet memory in dream form made him smile again.

_Laughter from the S.E.E.S. members as they rushed barefoot through the sand. Minato stood on the beach, feeling the warm summer sun, and enjoying the holiday. Beach volleyball! The warm golden sand between his toes, the sun, the sea, the fresh air, and...  
>Minato looked to his left, he recived a devilish grin from Ryoji for his efforts.<br>Him.  
>Mitsuru took a photo for the memories.<em>

Philemon looked down on the sleeping man. A spark. The tinest glimmer of light shone through the dark coulds of despair.

_They went for drinks afterwards. It was amusing for all when Junpei inhaled the fizz of the lemonade and sneezed loudly. The chain reaction of giggling resulted in most people spilling their drinks. Minato was forced to lick up the large amounts of whipped cream that had fallen from the spiral atop his drink and onto his hand. He felt those cerulean eyes upon him, and so took it slowly and deliberatly, running his tongue up his fingers. Just for added effect, Minato, one by one, slowly sucked his fingers clean. He gave a mental smile and knew it had the desired effect when Ryoji shifted in his seat, trying to readjust the canary yellow shorts he wore._

Minato Arisato gave another small laugh in his sleep. The spark of light grew into a frail flame.

_'Ice cream!'_ _Yukari suggested in a cheer.  
>They found it was just the thing in the powerful summer heat. Minato stood in the shade, searching for new ways to embarass Ryoji. Playful ways. He found the answer in the from of the slowly melting popsicle in his hand. 'Mm...' he playfully licked it.<br>Ryoji wasn't paying attention.  
>'MMM!'<br>'Hm?' he turned to look at the bluenette.  
>'Mmm...' Minato licked the popsicle again before beginning to suck it.<br>'P-please dont... Not again.' He pleaded softly.  
>Minato had him now and wasn't going to let him go until he had gone red in the cheeks.<br>He pulled the popsicle from his mouth and licked it once more, savouring the sharp cherry taste.  
>'Mm... So big and tasty...'<em>  
><em>Ryoji gulped deeply. 'Damn you...'<em>

Minato awoke, immediatly he felt sad that the one in question was not there. The light dimmed back into a pale glow. He wanted _Death_... Where was he?  
>He wanted to be kissed, cuddled, and hear sweet words whispered...<p>

'My plan is flawless, Philemon, and you know it is! Fun and frivolty...' He gestured his hands out to the top floor of Tartarus. '... And _**this**_ is how it ends...'  
>The two of them watched as the blue haired teen slumped to his knees, staring up at Nyx's avatar. Heart broken, sadness and despair seeping out of his form in waves of dark smoke.<br>Philemon was unamused. He strode through Minato, making the form ripple and distort. Dispelling the illusion with a wave of a hand, he left the two of them alone.

_'There is another side besides the dark and despair, Crawling Chaos. I am a testemant to that.'_

'Be that as it may, Philemon, to where else does a man turn when the heart abandons all hope?'  
>The Crawling Chaos began to slowly circle his counterpart, giving an amused chuckle. 'That's right... Minato Arisato is no different!'<br>He stopped, taking Minato's form, albeit if the bluenette had fiery golden eyes, features eclipsed by unnatural shadows, and a diabolical sneer. He continued walking again, shifting through the Shadow Sides of the S.E.E.S. members, bar Aigis and Koromaru.  
>'They wear the masks of caring friends, but the seed of darkness is not so easily dispelled! Unease turns to distrust, spreading into fear and hatred as it consumes the heart! In some part of their own mind, they believe <em>Him<em> to be a monster. I know this is true because...'  
>He stopped in front of Philemon, in the form of Ryoji, yellow scarf turned a blood crimson. '<em>I<em> am a monster too. What use is a feeble light against centuries of despair?'  
>The spirit guide said nothing.<br>'Look here, Philemon. You may have won our little bet, but I will win this new game... I will prove to you and those humans that no-one could love a monster!'  
>No-one could love a monster? Philemon gave him a sideways glance, but said nothing<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

A faint trail of golden light, invisible to the naked eye, followed him around as he wandered down into the lounde. Minato gently petted Koromaru as he wandered up to him. Minato's mind felt fuzzy as he sat down, heart in turmoil.  
>His Evoker rested on the table, drawing his attention.<br>Would it be the same? He picked it up and glanced at the S.E.E.S. logo on the side before pointing and firing. It still made him flinch, even now. Koromaru glanced up at the form of Thanatos for a second before settling back down to sleep. Minato had called the Persona for little more then company. But he, however, had not expected to feel those chilling, bony fingers gently stroke the side of his face. 'Hmm? What's this?' he looked up. 'Is Death trying to comfort me?'

Minato tried not to fall asleep again as he rested on the sofa, where did he leave his earphones? He didn't think it was possible for him to sleep anymore...  
>But even as he thought that, his eyelids began to droop.<br>'_Hey, c'mon now, sleepyhead! You can't waste your life away like this!'_  
>A sharp snore and Minato sat up with a start. Did he just hear...?<br>He slouched back down onto the cushions. Dreams and memories were nice, but right now... He wanted the real one.  
>Eyes... Drooping... Again...<p>

_'Minato...'  
>'Yes, Ryoji?'<br>'I have a butterfly here...' he held out his gently clasped hands. 'What colour do you think it is?'  
>The surreal dreamworld was a place he did not recognise.<br>'Blue?' he suggested. The answer emerged from a place unknown within his soul.  
>Ryoji smiled, opening his hands and releasing a swarm of bright blue butterflies.<br>They swarmed around the two of them, they were in the lounge and he was pushing Minato down onto the sofa, climbing atop him as the butterflies departed.  
>'This... Is a dream.' Minato realised.<br>'Yeah.'  
>'About what I want?'<br>'Yep.'  
>So close, faces inches apart. <em>

_'Or...' Death incarnate gave a smile 'Perhaps this is a dream about what I want...?'  
>Minato wrapped his arms around Ryoji's chest and sat up, to mix together and become one again, ready to kiss those soft, warm lips-<em>

The wind slammed a door shut, Minato faced thin air, hugging a cushion tightly to his chest. Such a wonderful dream, _wrecked_ at the worst possible moment. A butterfly watched as he slumped back onto the sfoa with a grunt.

'Well, Philemon, as you've taken the "Grim Reaper" and his boy toy under your wing, it looks like I get my pick of the rest of those saps.'  
>Nyarlathotep gave another diabolical grin, eyes glinting.<br>'Before the Fall... _I will make Minato Arisato wish he was never born...'_

Aigis sat up with a start.  
>'<em>Hazardous substance detected in port C-'<em> She announced before her eyes turned glassy and she fell down, deactivated.  
>Nyarlathotep stopped to sneer as he passed by the sleeping Kirijo girl. 'Did I break your robot?'<p>

'_I can get inside your mind... Where you can't escape me...'_ He breathed in Yukari's ear as she slept. A sharp growl drew his attention.  
>Koromaru stood a few feet away, body tensed and a threatening growl reverberated through his form. Clearly he could see what the humans could not.<br>Koromaru growled again. The Crawling Chaos became the Moon Howler and roared back, showing more teeth then the Osmond Family. Koromaru whimpered and ran back to his bed.  
>'Good boy.' The shadow snorted.<p>

_'C'mon, Yukari!'_  
><em>Dressed in a bathing suit, she followed the form of Minato as he gestured for her to do so.<br>With a grin, she happily followed him through the green, flowery fields, petals dancing on the wind._

With a smile on her face, Yukari proceeded to sleepwalk out of her room and down the hall.

_Still enjoying the landscape around her, Yukari watched as Minato scaled a small incline and vanished over the edge with a cheer. A splash of water was heard a second later. Yukari followed him, placeing her feet steadily on the hill-_

Stil asleep, Yukari wandered out onto the balcony, another sleepy grin came onto her face as she placed her feet steadily on the edge of the balcony railing.

_'Yukari!'_  
><em>Her friends waited for her below, swimming about in the warm waters of a sapphire blue lake.<br>'Hi!' she waved back.  
>'C'mon!' Ryoji called out.<em>

'_Jump in...'_ Nyarlathotep breathed in her ear, perfectly imitating his voice.  
>She smiled again, wavering on the edge. The folded washing line waited below, sharp prongs pointing towards the sky as they glinted in the moonlight, white snow beneath soon to run crimson...<br>Still she wavered. Her subconscious had percived the threat and was trying to alert her sleeping self. _In that case..._

_'C'mon, Yukari! Jump in! It's lovely!'  
>'Ok!' But why did she not? Why would her legs not move? What was holding her back?<br>'C'mon! Jump!' Still he beckoned her.  
>Yukari was beginning not to like this...<br>As though picking up on her unease, he became more insistent.  
>'Yukari! In! Now!'<br>'I... I...'  
>'JUMP!'<br>She gave a short scream as his form changed, turning from sweet teenager into a towering shadowy creature, great black wings spread wide, taloned hand seizing her and forcefully dragging her to the boiling water below. She pulled free and fell back with a scream._

She continued screaming when arms pulled her away from the balcony in the cold world of reality.  
>'No! NO!' Kicking and screaming, she fought against her captor.<p>

'Yukari! Yukari, _wake up!_ It's me!'  
>'M-Minato...?' She slowly settled down.<br>'Yes. It's me.' he nodded. She hugged him.  
>'I... I had a h-horrible nightmare...' she sobbed softly.<p>

Admittedly, being asleep for last night and the vast majority of the day had it's advantages. When night had fallen again, Minato lay in his bed, not the least bit tired. Listening to the sounds of people sleep. Footsteps creaking up the stairs. _Something_ glared at him from the doorway, but he could see nothing. Then it moved on. He only began to worry when he heard Koromaru give a frightened whimper, then, a few moments later, Yukari sleepwalked past, muttering and smiling. She wasn't usually a sleepwalker...

It was lucky he had decided to follow her, otherwise things could've been a lot worse. He had caught her just on the verge of falling off! The next morning, things had taken a bizzare twist.  
>'What <em>is<em> that stuff?' Minato wondered, looking at the vicious black goo that was all over Aigis.  
>'Don't know.' Mitsuru shrugged. 'She's full of it...'<p>

-

_Corruption:_

_Caused when Nyarlathotep brushes against the physical plane, the Corruption is a physical manifestation of pure human evil, it is foul smelling and dangerous to living beings. _

-

It was unlike anything Mitsuru had seen before. The goo smelt horrid and couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to be a goo, liquid, or rubber. Cautiously she scooped some of it onto a finger. Immediatly she hissed in pain and hurried off to wash her hand.

'What's the matter?' Minato wondered.  
>'<em>Don't touch it! It's corrosive!'<em> she called back.  
>A loud thump in repeition proceeded Junpei hopping into the lounge, his eyes were haunted and he was dressed in a sleeping bag up to his neck.<br>'M-Minato... Sweet, _k-kind_, Minato... Ya gotta help me!' Shuddering, he looked around as though paranoid.

'Junpei, what's wrong?'  
>'Don't you feel it? He's after me...! <em>Death is after me!<em>' he hissed.  
>'Right...' Minato took a moment to think. 'Well, just come over here and sit.'<p>

He put the paranoid Junpei next to Yukari, who was still pale from her near death experience last night.

Akihiko entered, looking bleary eyed and tired. 'What's wrong with the dog? He's curled up in his basket, trembling like he's had the fear of god put into him-'  
>His eyes fell upon Junpei. 'Oh, God, what's he <em>doing?<em>'  
>'That's it... That's it...' Junpei was now cradling and attempting to breast feed a plastic baby doll. 'Shhh... A mother can't die, and I'm a mother! See?'<p>

'Where are you going?' Minato wondered as Mitsuru rushed past, one hand bandaged.  
>'Hospital! Toxic aftershock-!' She passed out short of reaching the door.<br>This place had gone to hell fast.

Nyarlathotep wanted to see if his work had been wasted. He wanted warm fuzzies and he was going to get his warm fuzzies. Making a few last minute adjustments to his image, he reached out to ring the doorbell.

Minato felt like the only sane person in the house as he opened the door. His sanity quickly left him when he saw who it was.  
>'What do <em>you<em> want, Ryoji?'  
>'Well, isn't that a pleasent way to greet someone.' he snorted, pushing past Minato and into the lounge. A frightened squeak came from Junpei, who quickly tried to hide himself completely within the sleeping bag. Yukari narrowed her eyes in hatred and watched him closely.<p>

He smirked deeply.

The day was rapidly approaching, and Philemon's little troop was in _shambles!_ Jumping at shadows! _Everything was falling nicely into place..._

It took therapy, a lot of therapy in a short space of time. Admittedly Akihiko still dropped things whenever Nyx was mentioned, but the party came triumphant at a great cost...

Weakened, and verging on disembodiment, Minato Arisato sat on his bed, piecing together blurry memories. There was a photo on his bedside table it was a photo of him and... And... _He didn't know. _It had been taken at the beach... But... When did they go?  
>They kept asking if it was his brother...<br>He couldn't remember.

'Uh...?' he rubbed his eyes suddenly, why was he crying? He had almost no strength left, but he promised... He had promised his friends...

Two figure, one light, the other dark, stood together in an ethereal gazebo, watching the scene unfold. They watched in a solemn silence as the physical body of the cobalt haired teen gave up on life finally.  
>'Well...' Nyarlathotep spoke finally. 'You won. <em>Again.<em> Happy?'  
>The masked man shook his head slowly.<br>'What's the matter? Guilty conscience finally caught up with you? Do you feel disgusted, Philemon? _You should do..._ Was it worth it? Sacrificing the life of a boy so young so this petty little race could continue on living? Hmm? Lose one, save billions?'  
>The Crawling Chaos left him to his musings.<p>

Philemon watched the scene for a moment longer.  
>'<em>Sleep now, Minato Aristo. Just go to sleep... He's waiting for you...'<em>  
>He watched those eyes close for the last time.<p>

Elizabeth approached the petrified form of the cobalt haired boy, clutching books to her chest.  
>She could save him. She <em>would<em> save him. 

Sadnened, the S.E.E.S. members returned to their dorm, Yukari and Junpei stared at the empty room that would never be filled again, the window had been left open a crack and a few cherry blossoms had flown in. A yellow scarf rested on the bedpost, blowing gently in the breeze.

_**I made myself sad now... T-T**_

_**This was only supposed to be a short story, but it sort of... Took on a life of it's own.**_

_**Minato will be back eventually, he has to be, he's mentioned in my newest fic; "Shadow over Brightwinds", he gives Alexander Green Ryoji's scarf...**_

_**Scarf + Death Arcana = Very happy human-looking Thanatos (Pharos is an adult now)**_. __


End file.
